ST. LOUIS (AP) - The U.S. government says Tyson Foods has agreed to pay roughly $4 million in civil penalties to settle alleged violations related to eight accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia that happened over a four-year span and caused one death.

The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency says the deal in a St. Louis federal court with the nation's biggest meat company involves alleged Clean Air Act violations at Tyson sites in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

The government says the incidents in questioned happened between 2006 and 2010.

Arkansas-based Tyson says it cooperated with the EPA and immediately addressed the agency's concerns.

As part of the settlement, Tyson also will provide $300,000 to help purchase emergency response equipment for fire departments in nine communities where it has plants.